


Low Lamp Light (So Magic)

by Estelle



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings Realization, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26191699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estelle/pseuds/Estelle
Summary: Isabela keeps dropping off supplies at Anders' clinic. Maybe they bond over that.
Relationships: Anders/Isabela (Dragon Age)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 9
Collections: Black Emporium 2020





	Low Lamp Light (So Magic)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pinehutch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinehutch/gifts).



> Thanks to Liv for the idea and Toshi for the wonderful beta!

Isabela saunters in like she always does, with complete confidence and looking like she owns the place, even if it is just Anders’ run-down underground clinic.  
It’s not like he isn’t proud of it, but it certainly doesn’t need a grand entrance like hers. He can admit that he appreciates the chance to admire the way her hips sway when she does it, though.  
She drops a bag on the table in front of him.  
“I _found_ these and thought you could use them.”  
Anders raises his eyebrows and opens the bag to find an assortment of different salves and tinctures.  
“You just found these?”  
Isabela shrugs nonchalantly. “Sure. Don’t question my luck, darling.”  
She pats his cheek, and he feels a little patronised, but also slightly amused.  
They both know that she hasn’t just found those medical supplies lying around, but Anders knows her well enough by now to not mention that. Any recognition of her kindness would just make her angry and embarrassed, so he just shakes his head with a small grin.  
“If you say so.”  
She nods. “Well, see you around.”  
Turning around, she leaves with an extra sway to her steps. Anders is sure that she is well aware that his gaze follows her, and what exactly he is looking at here. He probably hasn’t been subtle about looking on the way in, and the grand exit is just as appealing.

It keeps happening after that. Isabela stops by, dropping off supplies, sometimes salves and poultices, sometimes ingredients, sometimes spare cloths to make bandages from, but always something he’s running low on. He never comments on it, even though sometimes he really wants to ask where she gets all these things, but he’s afraid she will stop if he brings too much attention to it.  
They do start talking about other things though.  
At first, it’s just light, flirtatious banter, because that’s who they are. Masking things with humour has always been easier than actually addressing serious issues, and Anders finds that they are much the same in that regard.  
But when you spend so much time together, some things are bound to slip through, and so they slowly get to know each other better.  
Of course, the flirting is still there, and Anders knows that Isabela doesn’t mind him _looking_ , but he hasn’t made a move yet, content to leave the cards in her hand for the moment. Unless she has changed as much as he has, she’ll play what she is dealt when she’s ready - and that will happen soon enough, he bets.

“So”, she draws the word out, hopping up onto his makeshift desk and leaning closer to him than necessary, certainly aware of what she is putting in his line of sight.  
He takes a moment to appreciate that, then he looks up at her wicked smile and glinting eyes.  
“You know how we talked about the Pearl the other day?”, she continues, and he nods, not quite sure yet where this is going.  
“Well, I can’t stop thinking about that _electricity thing_ you did. Never encountered anything quite like it.”  
Anders grins. “Would you like me to demonstrate it again?” He leans even closer and sees her eyes darken. “I even picked up some new tricks along the way.”  
Delighted, she laughs a little. “I bet you did.”  
With that, she closes the small gap between them, pressing her lips to his, and Anders steps into the space between her legs, which she immediately hooks around his hips.  
Isabela kisses like she does everything, confidently and passionately, and Anders finds himself really liking it, letting her control the kiss and holding her close to him.  
They stumble into his small room together, not because either of them is overly concerned with privacy, but because Anders draws the line at disturbing his patients.  
He's quickly reminded that while Isabela may not have magic at her disposal, she definitely has a few tricks of her own in her repertoire - and just like him, has kept picking them up.

From then on, their encounters get a lot more _satisfying_.  
Until one day, when she walks into the clinic, her usual swagger missing, looking pale and placing her steps carefully.  
She drops the supply bag, and Anders rushes to her side, lightly placing a hand on her back.  
“Are you hurt?”  
“It’s nothing.” She tries to wave him off, but can’t help leaning on him.  
Anders rolls his eyes, half annoyed and half worried. “Isabela. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a healer. You’re hurt. Let me take a look.”  
She sighs, putting up a show of thinking about it, but he can clearly see that she’s in pain, and finally, she relents and lets him guide her to the small cot on the side of the room.  
Lifting her tunic, he sucks in a breath at the green and blue bruises forming on her ribs. There’s no blood, but at least one rib might very well be broken.  
Anders carefully moves his hand over them, letting the healing magic seep in, and feels her slowly relax under his touch.  
He then applies a cooling balm for good measure, wanting to make sure that she is left with no pain.  
Only when he’s sure that she will be okay, does he look up.  
“You don’t have to keep doing this for me”, he decides to finally go all in. He knows he’s an awful gambler, but maybe this will be worth it.  
Isabela shrugs. “Just a run in with some smugglers, nothing out of the ordinary.”  
“Isabela, come on. We both know that you don’t find these supplies just lying around. I don’t want you to get hurt for this”, he admits, and she Isabela actually laughs a little.  
“You would do the same.”  
That gives him pause, and he frowns. “Well yes, but this is my clinic. I want to help people.”  
“And what makes you think I don’t?” She says this quietly, and he has never seen her so serious.  
“These people,” She gestures at the city at large. “they need help, and they deserve it. You do good things here.”  
For once, the warmth flooding through him has nothing to do with her proximity.  
“Thank you.” He leans a bit closer. “I still don’t want to see you hurt.”  
“Ah well, dangers of the trade.” Her lips quirk up a little. “And I have you to fix me up, don’t I?”  
“I guess you do.” Smiling, he kisses her, thinking that maybe they really aren’t so different after all.


End file.
